Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties by Camille Pagán
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review. My honest opinion follows.

Maggie and Adam have been married for decades. Their children are grown, they’re approaching retirement age, and he’s leaving her. Maggie is a natural worrier but the one thing she hasn’t worried about is happening suddenly – her husband is ending their marriage and there’s nothing she can do to stop it.

Readers follow Maggie through her divorce and attempts to rebuild her life after such a shattering upheaval. There are parts that are humorous but most of this book was sad to read. Perhaps it’s a good book for anyone going through a divorce. Maggie attempts to save the marriage, drinks too much, travels, meets a few new friends, and starts a new relationship. She was hard for me to relate too in a lot of ways which could be why I didn’t connect very well with this story.

This book didn’t wow me, but it was an easy to read story of a middle age woman going through what so many like her have gone through. I did like the last chapter especially where Maggie writes a letter on forgiveness. There was a good message along with an ending I wasn’t really expecting. I think, overall, this book will be forgettable to me. I doubt I’ll recollect most of this story a few months down the road.

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The French Girl by Lexie Elliott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Berkley Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Six young college students took a holiday to France. While there a local girl goes missing. Ten years later the friends learn the girl’s body is found. Was one of them responsible for her death? This book was a slow burn that needed a little more action for me to completely enjoy it.

The six friends are brought back together after a decade of becoming adults. The group dynamic is fragile. A lot of this story focused on how this group of old friends gets along – who slept with whom, both then and now? Who can get along long enough to get through dinner, and who can’t? Through all of the relationship dynamics there is a mystery at the forefront in everyone’s minds. What happened to Severine?

The pacing was too slow for me. There was a little action within the last couple of chapters but it was too little, too late. I needed more to happen early on. I was fairly please with the ending, and the writing was engaging enough. The story line seemed to have potential but was just a miss for me.

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Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Sylvie and Dan have been together for ten years, married for seven of them. They've got twin girls, a nice life, and they know each other so well that they can predict what the other is thinking or about to say. They're comfortable in their relationship, safe. When they receive physicals their health is good and their doctor reveals they could expect to live for another seventy years. This gives each of them pause as the reality of how many years together they may have starts to set in.

Fans of Sophie Kinsella are going to enjoy this one. Sylvie is a new character but is like the female leads that Kinsella creates. Sylvie is like Lucille Ball - funny, bighearted, well meaning, and often in silly situations. She intends to add some surprise to her marriage, but she gets unexpected surprises and not all of them are good.

This is the chick lit you're looking for! This is a lighthearted read that has a few surprises along the way. The characters are likable and relatable.

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As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved every page of this book and need to get Susan Meissner's backlist added to my library. This will be one of my favorite reads for 2018, I have no doubt. I just couldn't put it down.

The Brights are tobacco farmers. The father, Thomas, has an opportunity to move his family to Philadelphia and become an undertaker. It's a tough decision to make, but after the loss of their infant son he and his wife decide it will be a good decision for their family. This story is told from the points of view of the mother, Pauline, and their three young daughters.

I love historical fiction and that's what drew me to this story to begin with. Men are leaving to go fight overseas in the Great War. Shortly after their arrival in Philadelphia the Spanish Flu begins to kill people in unthinkable numbers. The story of this family is really what kept me turning the pages long past bedtime.

Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction, memorable characters, or getting lost in a great story.

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